Hi kids. Still blethering about this.
I mused long and often on what I went through.
Not to be too dramatic, so many have been through worse but there were scary moments that challenged the stability of the daily cycle of life!
Here are a few reflections.
Travelling solo – it’s what I have done for the past 20 years or more and no real hiccups aside from travel delays and short term ‘sickies’. Looking back on this episode, it causes messy issues when things don’t go to plan and one feels alone or isolated. Solution? Have some sort of network at hand, either as a companion element or an immediate family contact/s. The ‘injured’ will for sure need external help.
Help? Well if you are stuck away from base, who can we ask for help? Transport arrangements. Locally and long haul perhaps.
Phone numbers, e-mail contact, emergency contact in the wallet! Available cash, credit cards etc – do you have credit worthy resources or are you flying by the daily budget? I mean, you can’t not do it but when it goes inside out…..?
Do you have an emergency fund tucked away and who is your saviour back home?
So the mobile should be powered up and workable one way or another – my own one ‘died’ and caused great consternation for me, the hospital and eventually family.
Communication becomes everything. Flora only heard 2nd hand I was in ICU but had no idea what was the cause or how serious things might have been. Wee panic time!
In the end my laptop became the communication arm for me – text, email, Facetime.
The hospital demanded I phone the insurance company – they’re not in, British companies don’t work at a the weekends – so the hospital were offering all sorts of veiled threats about treatments etc. Or not.
Phone numbers for all sorts of people. I’ve always believed the solution to anything is one phone call away- but sometimes it’s two- so local phone card or sim for your phone and a list of phone contacts that matter.
Wherever you go from base have your passport with you- some say don’t do this – in case of loss, but I needed it often to prove who I was, nationality, age etc. Again, as I was a solo traveller.
I also needed my driving licence as an alternative form of identification.
This was one of the few things I got right, as I had an expected short and casual visit to the walk in clinic which eventually took me to another two medical bases and a fortnight in hospital.
I also had got into the habit of carrying a list of my daily medication intake in my days – very helpful on a number of occasions and I had several days of medicines with me, an overhang from keeping the meds in my hand luggage – in case of lost suitcases en route. I was in the habit of keeping all meds in my hand luggage with a doctors prescribed list in case of misunderstandings with the authorities. I should say in all of my journeys, nothing major occurred with mostly very helpful security staffs!
Clothing – I had shorts, pants and t-shirt – so what do you do? Play it as you go until someone gets stuff to you – thanks everyone who helped me do this back at holiday base, albeit some days later.
Cash ! What can you say about having cash with you? Taxis, ambulances, food/snacks/water
and a security blanket. I know, it doesn’t always work out the way you want but……have your own plan. Definitely a plan!